Marols

The ideal start of this walking tour is the lively quarter situated at the bottom of the Palace of Justice or the stairs of the Our Lady Chapel Church. In the 17th century , a religious order was founded here, the so called Maricollen (hence the name, Marollen) to take care of the poor and needy living marginally in society.

Today this quarter remains one of the poorer areas although lucrative trade is never far away. Better standards of living are on their way: wealthy people from the Sablon and other quarters are in search of furniture, decoration , artefacts, and will pay the price. Visit the Flea Market on Sablon for examples of the diverse art pieces available . It is a lively neighbourhood where artists hang around and restaurants offer typical Brussels dishes. You will hear why Victor Horta, great master of the Art Nouveau movement, chose this quarter to demonstrate his art. And why not finish the walking tour at a real “fritkot” where you can try the famous french fries ?